Starry chamber
Sir: Your issue of 21 November contains an article by Paul Johnson (And another thing) in which he states he has rediscov- ered his radicalism.
I sincerely hope that this change is not founded on the figures he quotes concern- ing the House of Lords. He claims that dur- ing Margaret Thatcher's premiership she created 600 life peers. The Lords Informa- tion Office could have told him the true facts. Peers created were: 80 Conservative, 45 Labour, 9 Lib/Dems, 48 cross-benchers, 5 non-party — totalling 187 in 11 and a half years. It is pertinent to recall that Harold Wilson created 230 peers in his 8 years: an average of 29 a year against 16 in the Thatcher period.
Comparisons with Robert Walpole's 'cash patronage' are also astray since he states that peers now get 'a handsome, uncontributory pension for life'. This description could mislead readers. Quite rightly, there is no pension. We sit for about 35 weeks a year and for a total of about 140 days. Those who attend can draw legitimate expenses. He cites Bob Boothby, who was a most entertaining Parliamentari- an, but few would describe his attendance or his life-style as typical of those who serve.
Orr-Ewing
House of Lords, London SW1
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